ROCK MUSIC MENU: A holiday gift guide for the traveler: The Osprey Contrail

'Tis the season to start thinking about what to get your favorite music lover. Stay tuned to this space as in the coming weeks I'll be focusing on the best box sets, books and more to help you out in that often difficult search for the perfect gift.

--- This week, however, I want to focus on travel. It's no secret that Rock Music Menu hits the road quite a bit, whether it be destination music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, cities like New Orleans to soak up the sonic vibes or far off spots like Iceland.

--- One thing I constantly do is search out the local music stores in hopes of finding rare vinyl or regional favorites that you can't find anywhere else. Doing that, it's incredibly important to be prepared for the return trip, i.e., pack well but leave enough room to bring back some goodies. Sounds simple, right? It's not. But consider it the next time you are sitting on top of your luggage furiously attempting to zip it up over way too many pairs of socks.

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--- Speaking of luggage, over the past several months I've been lucky enough to sample the brand Osprey. One was a rehydrating day pack I used while hiking in northern California that was unbelievably comfortable, but more recently a traditional roller set suited for more here-to-there expeditions.

--- The Osprey Contrail series is sleek, sophisticated and, most importantly, tough as nails when it comes to traveling. The wheeled luggage comes in two sizes, 22" and 28." I rolled (pun intended) with the former, as it's the perfect size, regulation-wise, to work as carry-on for all airlines. The 22" is spacious enough for a weekend trip in the winter or a few days longer in the summer when the clothing is supposed to be lighter. The trademarked HighRoad high-clearance chassis can roll almost anywhere; with its comfortable, smooth-operating retractable handle with a ridiculously comfortable ergonomic grip.

--- Now I don't know about you, but the biggest problem I've had with wheeled luggage is the actual wheels. For the most part, they are junk, hard to replace and easy to wear out. The Contrail avoids this problem by stacking itself with wheels with the dials set to off roading. They are the same wheels you will find on inline skates, durable, large and plenty mobile. Even if they do wear out before you do, they are simple to replace.

--- There's also a removable "FlightLocker" organizer accessory that speeds packing and unpacking, keeping clothes neat along the journey. It slips onto a clothes hanger for storage use at destination. An internal compression straps with fabric wings hold clothes securely. Add that to a removable laundry bag which provides separate storage for dirty or wet clothes and there's no excuse not to travel in style.

--- And despite its aforementioned sleek look, there are well-hidden front pockets to hold socks and underwear and a back pocket big enough for shoes or T-shirts. Sandwiched between the pockets is a folder to hold shirts and pants neatly. I'm telling you -- this thing fits a crazy amount into a small package.

--- The Osprey Contrail is easy to overstuff, speaking from experience, you can push it to the extreme when it comes to packing. When I've been conscious enough to not overdo it though, it's durable enough to house vinyl, voodoo dolls (New Orleans), lava rocks (Iceland) and pilfered pint glasses (don't ask).

--- Fascinated as I am to write about it, the next step is to go large. I'm hitting up the 28" next.

--- To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com. Also, check out his blog on the Daily Times website.